Out of the Frying-Pan, and into the Fire
By Kim Smith
On July 30,while reading the regional newspaper over my A.M. tea, a powerful letter-to-the-editor concerning medical marijuana caught my eye. As this is a topic of great concern to me, I immediately contacted the author, Dr. Steven C. Matson. Within the hour, he returned my call, giving me per- mission to print his letter, in its entirety, within my column. As you read it, those facts, of especial importance, will be capitalized. At the conclusion of his letter, I will include my own remarks, borne from personal experience: "A Drug of Abuse and Dependence"
It is time for physicians-scientists to weigh in on the legalization of so-called "medical marijuana". I am president of the Ohio Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the leading organization specializing in addiction medicine that represents more than 3,000 physicians across the country. I see daily examples in my practice that marijuana is a drug of abuse and dependence that has serious negative consequences for many of users. I see previously healthy teens now relegated to illegal activities to fuel their drug abuse that started with marijuana.
The adolescent brain is undergoing major changes and we know that marijuana- smoking teens HAVE CHANGES IN THEIR BRAIN CHEMISTRY that MAKE THEM MORE LIKELY to ABUSE OPIATES and HEROIN in LATER LIFE. We know that teens who start smoking marijuana have a SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED risk of cocaine, heroin and prescription drug use. They also have a FOUR to NINE TIMES INCREASE risk of experiencing of drug abuse and drug dependence later in life. IN STATES WHERE MARIJUANA is LEGAL, SERIOUS UNPREDICTED NEGATIVE OUTCOMES have DEVELOPED. In Colorado, most teens who start to smoke marijuana are doing so WITH REGULATED "MEDICAL MARIJUANA" that had been recommended to OTHER patients. In California, unscrupulous providers are opening cash-only strip-mall offices to sign off on medical marijuana recommendations for ANYONE WITH ENOUGH MONEY to RECEIVE a RECOMMENDATION.
Proponents feel they can pass this measure by showing cancer victims who can only gain relief from smoking marijuana. Good scientific research has shown that MARIJUANA is NOT NECESSARY, and, in fact, IS DANGEROUS, as is smoking any product. We already have a form that has been studied and approved in the proper manner by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dronabinol is a cannab- inoid available to all patients. Controlled scientific studies of head-to-head compari- son with Dronabinol to be equal or better than smoked marijuana for pain and nausea.
ASSAM asserts that MARIJUANA...SHOULD BE SUBJECT to the SAME STAND- ARDS that are applicable to OTHER PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS and medical devices, and that THESE PRODUCTS SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED or other- wise provided to patients unless and until such products or devices HAVE RECEIVED marketing approval FROM the FDA.
Medical marijuana is a bad idea for Ohio, a state ALREADY BEING RAVAGED by DRUG ABUSE and DEPENDENCE. PHysicians have the medications we need to treat patients.WHAT WE DO NOT NEED is a REPEAT of the Ohio pil mills that DROVE the CURRENT OPIATE EPIDEMIC--to be replaced with SHADY CLINICS providing UNCONTROLLED MARIJUANA for the smallest of medical conditions. Dr. Steven C. Matson, Columbus, Ohio
Marijuana has long been referred to as the "gateway drug", frequently leading the user to heroin, etc. If you have, or have had, a loved one drawn into the world of drugs as we have, you not only would be violently opposed to legalization, you wouldn't wish this hell on your worst enemy. The legalization of marijuana is fueled by greedy politicians, hungry for tax monies anyway they can get them, and too lazy to do their REAL jobs, namely making tough spending cuts that INCLUDE a reduction in their OWN obscene salaries and "perks".
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